Help authoring 2

[kiberu]

How can I create a context-sensitive help system for an Access application that stores the help topics and details in the same application.mdb?

 

[RickSpr]

The built-in facilities for context sensitive help always look in an external help file. It would take a lot of work on your part to simulate context sensitive help in your own code, and it would never work quite the same; you can't trap the F1 key, for example. I don't think saving your help topics in the database file is a reasonable goal. Rick Sprague

 

[Lightning]

Rick

Can't you trap the {F1} key using the "VBKeyF1" keycode constant? I haven't tried, but I have used some of the other keycode constants built into Access.

In theory, you could use this constant to trap the keystroke, open a form with your help information, and then return to your form.

Lightning

 

[RickSpr]

Lightning, I'm not sure how you were thinking of trapping the F1 key. I know you can't trap it with a Form's KeyPress or KeyDown event--Access insists on responding to it. I think I once trapped it with an AutoKeys macro, back in Access 2, but it's tough to figure out the context if you do that (it would take a HUGE If...Then or Select Case statement, with a separate condition for each control of each form!) Rick Sprague

 

[Lightning]

Rick

Yes, I was thinking of trapping it with the keypress event. As I said, I haven't tried. I wasn't aware that the event wouldn't trap it. Thanks for the info.

"If you learn something every day, the day is not wasted!!"

Lightning

 

[kiberu]

thanks collegues, I have to look into other techniques .Could anyone list for me sites where I can get free taining on designing help systems.

 

[MichaelRed]

kiberu,

I deffinitly CANNOT help with help sites. I can however hope you do find some place, and are willing to share the info. I have gotten A HTML help file built, but only with general info on my topic(s). I do NOT see/understand HOW to relate a control to a specific entry (e.g. the ContextID property). I have posted this question in the VB forum several times - to no avail.



MichaelRed
redmsp@erols.com

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[RickSpr]

I don't know any tutorial sites, and I've never written an HTML help myself (just WinHelp, and minor ones at that). I've often thought somebody ought to write a book about it; there's a lot more than technical skills to learn. Organizing hypertext documents is something of an art.

Tek-Tips has an HTML help forum that might be of interest to you: Microsoft: HTML Help authoring system. Rick Sprague

 

[MichaelRed]

Rick Sprague

Interesting (well maybe not yet). Two threads. One ref to MS. Perhaps it will grow, but at hte moment there doesn't appear to be much.


MichaelRed
redmsp@erols.com

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[BoxHead]

This is new to me. Maybe someone can finish my thought...

I just opened a form in design and set the Help File property to be "NoHelpFile.com".

The F1 Key generated a message box saying there is no such file and would I like to look for it myself.

Would there be a way to intercept the F1 key event so the OnError opens your custom help form within the database?

If so, where would it fit?